Liquid dispensing device



Dec. 1, 1936.

L. c. SMITH LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Oct! 5, 1934 Fue. 5

Snvcntor 12a/rence C. Jm

(ttorneg Patented Dec. l, 1936- UNITED ASTATES LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICELawrence C. Smith, Bualo, N. Y., assignor to Fedders ManufacturingCompany, Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.

Application October 5, 1934, Serial No. 747,054

3 Claims.

l uid supply is unavoidable, and that it accumuis designed toaccommodate a full tank of liquid, this air pocket aiects the balance ofthe system and at times induces the danger of actual freezing of theliquid and the accompanying rupture of the tank.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to remove theadventitious volumes of air from the tank so that the freezing dangerfrom this cause is not incurred. This is accomplished by providing anaspirator in the liquid delivery line, which communicates with the topof the tank and which delivers air to the emergent fluid stream.

Another cause of failure, due to freezing of the Huid in the tank,resides in the occasional inability ofthe refrigeration system tomaintain predetermined maximum temperatures. This is,

of course, uncontrollable in the liquid system, but

its damaging eifects may be neutralized, according to this invention, bythe provision of a novel liquid circuit in which communication betweenthe tank and the liquid pressure source is closed during inoperativeperiods, to the effect that upon accidental rupture of the tank, theliquid under pressure is not liberated in the room containing thedevice. This latter feature is associated with the aspirator, withadvantageous results, as more specifically set forth in the accompanyingspeciflcation and drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a dispensing device;

Fig. 2 is a plan thereof on a reduced scale; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the draft armcontaining the aspirator.

In accordance with the drawing, the dispensing device is shown as afountain for cooled drinking water, consisting of a body or cabinet Ihaving a horizontal wall II therein forming an open compartment I2,which serves to house equipment for cooling and storing water.

The compartment I2 is tightly covered by a flanged casting I3 which isformed with a central basin I4 containing a drain tting I5 at its lowestpoint which communicates with a drain pipe lates in the tank andexcludes volumes of liquid.- In View of the fact that the refrigerationsystemv 20, and a bubbler fitting I6 spaced therefrom. A valve Il issecured to the inside of the casting and its operating handle I8 isdisposed on the exterior yadjacent the basin I4. These elements areconnected in a circuit by pipes located within the compartment I2, thevalve I1 being connected on one side to a supply pipe I9 which leads toa source of liquid under pressure, such as a city supply pipe P. Theoutlet side of the valve is connected to a tube 2| whose extremity 23discharges into the top of a tank 25.

Water is directed from the tank 25 to the bubbler fitting I6 through adraft arm or pipe 26 whose extremities are secured to L ttings 21, oneof which enters the bottom of the tank and the other of which is screwedinto the bubbler tting I6.

Any suitable means may be employed to cool the water in the tank 25, forexample the refrigeration system shown in application Serial No.670,898, filed May 13, 1933, may be utilized, and in such event the tankserves as a winding base for alternate layers of refrigerant andv waterbearing tubing, 28 and 29 respectively. The latter tubing layers mayform part of the tube 2|, and in such arrangement its convolutions areretained between the layers .of the refrigerant tubing so that heatexchangemay be eifected therebetween before the water enters the tank25. The first, or base layer of refrigerant tubing, being also in directcontact with the tank, serves to cool the water in the tank.

The extremities 30- and 3l of therefrigerant tubing 28.1ead through thewall II to the usual refrigerating and control mechanism, which need notbe described herein, except to statethat the outlet extremity 3| may bein contact with the usual thermostatic bulb B, which controls therefrigerant valve (not shown), and thus the temperature of the coil. Itwill thus be observed that whenever it is desired to obtain a supply ofwater at the bubbler I6, the valve Il is opened to introduce water underpressure into the cooling circuit. As a result, the incoming waterforces coldwater'from the bottom of the tank through the pipe 26 to thebubbler.

In the circuit as above described, small air l volumesv carried with theliquid stream are carried to the top of the tank 25, where, if permittedto accumulate, they would eventually form a large air pocket. Aside fromaifecting the storage capacity and the thermal. elciencyof thetank 25,this pocket would cause an irregular iiow from the bubbler, as pressureand inertia effects would tend to delay prompt starting of the liquidstream and would cause a corresponding delayed shut off. It is thereforeproposed to remove such air volumes at a substantially constant rate bythe provision of an aspirator 32` which establishes communicationbetween the top of the tank and the outlet pipe 26. In the presentdevice, the aspirator 32 consists of a tube of small diameter having oneend 33 disposed axially in the tank 25 and terminating adjacent the topthereof. The remaining extremity 34 of the tube is bent to extend intothe pipe 26, Where, although it may terminate at. any point, it ispreferably extended through the length of the pipe 26.

During operative periods of the circuit, the stream of water flowingthrough the pipe 26 creates a suction at the terminal 34 of theaspirator tube 32, and as a result air from the top of the tank is drawnout of the tube 32 and into the bubbler with the liquid stream. The tankis thus maintained substantially free of air by a constant withdrawingaction and the air is discharged at a point where it will not affect orinterfere with the water delivery.

It will be understood that the embodiment herein described, althoughsubmitted as a preferred form, may be varied in many respects, such asin the location of the valve in the circuit and in the disposal andstructure of the aspirator, Without departing from the principles setforth.

I claim:

1. A liquid cooling circuit comprising a. conduit connected to a sourceof liquid under pressure, a tank supplied by said conduit, a liquiddelivery pipe communicating with the bottom of the tank, a valve in thecircuit, an aspirator tube having one extremity disposed in the saidliquid delivery pipe and the remaining extremity communicating with thetop of the tank, and heat exchange means associated with the tank.

2. A liquid dispensing circuit comprising a conduit connected to asource of liquid under pressure, a tank supplied by said conduit, aliquid delivery pipe communicating with the bottom of the tank, avalve'in the conduit, an aspirator tube disposed Within the said liquiddelivery pipe and having one extremity protruding therefrom to the topof the tank, and heat exchange means associated -with the tank.

3. A liquid dispensing circuit comprising a conduit connected to asource of liquid under pressure, a valve in said conduit, a tanksupplied by said conduit, a liquid delivery pipe communieating with thebottom of the tank, an aspirator tube having one extremity disposed inthe said liquid delivery pipe and its remaining extremity communicatingwith the top of the tank, and heat exchange means associated with thetank.

LAWRENCE C. SMITH.

